Image processing apparatus and image processing method for image analysis process

Abstract

An image processing apparatus including a determination unit configured to determine, for each of a plurality of partial areas set in an input image, a priority for executing a first image analysis process, based on an image of the partial area and a corresponding image corresponding to the partial area, the corresponding image being in a past image analyzed before the input image, a selection unit configured to select at least one of partial areas from the plurality of partial areas, based on the determined priority, and a first analysis unit configured to execute the first image analysis process on each of the at least one of partial areas selected.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and
 a memory storing executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the image capturing apparatus to perform operations including: 
 determining for each of a plurality of partial areas set in a first image, a priority for executing a first image analysis process for estimating a number of people in an image, based on the first image and a second image analyzed before the first image, wherein the priority is determined based on at least one of (1) a total of absolute values of differences between pixel values of pixels in the partial area in the first image and pixel values of the corresponding partial area in the second image, (2) a total of absolute values of differences between bins of a luminance histogram created from the partial area in the first image and bins of a luminance histogram created from the corresponding partial area in the second image, or (3) a total of lengths of motion vectors estimated based on the first image and the second image; 
 selecting at least one of partial areas from the plurality of partial areas, based on the determined priority; 
 executing the first image analysis process on each of the selected partial areas; and 
 outputting a number of people in the first image based on a number of people in the second image and a result of the first analysis. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the plurality of partial areas, the priority is determined, based on a difference between an input timing of the first image and an input timing of the second image and the amount of change. 
     
     
       3. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein executing the executable instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform further operations including:
 executing, for each of the plurality of partial areas, a second image analysis process for estimating a number of people in an image, 
 wherein, the priority is determined based on a result of the second image analysis process on each of the plurality of partial areas, and 
 the second image analysis process has a processing load smaller than a processing load of the first image analysis process. 
 
     
     
       4. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first image is a plurality of images acquired from a plurality of imaging apparatuses. 
     
     
       5. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first image analysis process includes a flow-of-people estimation process for estimating a flow of people in an image. 
     
     
       6. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first image analysis process includes a determination process for determining an abnormality in an image. 
     
     
       7. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein executing the executable instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform further operations including:
 storing, for each of the plurality of partial areas, result information indicating a result of the first image analysis process; and 
 updating, for each of the at least one of partial areas, the stored result information, based on the result of the first image analysis process. 
 
     
     
       8. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein executing the executable instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform further operations including:
 displaying, on a display unit, the result of the first image analysis process indicated by the result information on each of the plurality of partial areas. 
 
     
     
       9. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein based on a timing when the first image analysis process is executed on each of the plurality of partial areas, the result of the first image analysis process indicated by the result information on each of the plurality of partial areas is displayed. 
     
     
       10. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein based on the determined priority, a predetermined number of partial areas is selected from the plurality of partial areas. 
     
     
       11. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein based on the determined priority, a partial area having the priority greater than or equal to a set threshold is selected from the plurality of partial areas. 
     
     
       12. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein information that an accuracy of the first image analysis process is decreasing is displayed, in a case where the plurality of partial areas includes a partial area that has the priority greater than or equal to a set threshold and is not subjected to the first image analysis process. 
     
     
       13. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein executing the executable instructions causes the information processing apparatus to perform further operations including:
 setting, in the first image, the plurality of partial areas based on a size of an analysis target in the first image analysis process. 
 
     
     
       14. An image processing method comprising:
 determining, for each of a plurality of partial areas set in a first image, a priority for executing a first image analysis process for estimating a number of people in an image, based on the first image and a second image analyzed before the first image, wherein the priority is determined based on at least one of (1) a total of absolute values of differences between pixel values of pixels in the partial area in the first image and pixel values of the corresponding partial area in the second image, (2) a total of absolute values of differences between bins of a luminance histogram created from the partial area in the first image and bins of a luminance histogram created from the corresponding partial area in the second image, or (3) a total of lengths of motion vectors estimated based on the first image and the second image; 
 selecting at least one of partial areas from the plurality of partial areas, based on the determined priority; 
 executing the first image analysis process on each of the selected partial areas; and 
 outputting a number of people in the first image based on a number of people in the second image and a result of the first analysis. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method comprising:
 determining, for each of a plurality of partial areas set in a first image, a priority for executing a first image analysis process for estimating a number of people in an image, based on the first image and a second image analyzed before the first image, wherein the priority is determined based on at least one of (1) a total of absolute values of differences between pixel values of pixels in the partial area in the first image and pixel values of the corresponding partial area in the second image, (2) a total of absolute values of differences between bins of a luminance histogram created from the partial area in the first image and bins of a luminance histogram created from the corresponding partial area in the second image, or (3) a total of lengths of motion vectors estimated based on the first image and the second image; 
 selecting at least one of partial areas from the plurality of partial areas, based on the determined priority; 
 executing the first image analysis process on each of the selected partial areas; and 
 outputting a number of people in the first image based on a number of people in the second image and a result of the first analysis. 
 
     
     
       16. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected partial areas are output in a manner different from areas not selected. 
     
     
       17. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of people in the first image is output based on the result of the first analysis performed on the selected partial area and based on the number of people in the second image.